Asahi Europe & International

Born in South Africa during the final years of apartheid, Geraldine Percival’s early experiences shaped her lifelong interest in people, critical thinking and social dynamics. She trained in psychology and specialised in occupational psychology, blending business and human behaviour to drive organisational growth. She began her career in consultancy before joining SABMiller, where she gained global exposure and helped embed a people-first culture across 70,000 employees. Moving into learning, leadership development and talent management, she built expertise in inclusive strategies that foster growth and potential. After holding international roles, including a stint in Australia, Geraldine now serves as Group Head of Talent & Development at Asahi Europe & International, leading multinational programs in talent strategy and leadership development.

Through this interview, Geraldine shared how people strategy grows when critical thinking and inclusivity guide long-term talent management and development.

Choosing What to Do and What Not to Do

Translating long-term strategy into everyday practice is never straightforward. Looking ahead to 2035 and beyond requires a different lens, almost a blue-sky view, where I ask myself what the business will need in ten years and what forces will shape it.

The demographic reality in Europe shows why these matters. Birth rates are declining, populations are ageing and in the alcohol industry, people are drinking less but expecting higher quality.  Alongside this come broader shifts in health and well-being, as well as the arrival of AI, which is happening faster and more forcefully than anyone anticipated. Together, these changes raise difficult questions about the roles we will need and the human elements of business we must protect.

This is why I believe strategy has to begin by zooming out and making deliberate choices. You cannot do everything, so the focus has to be on what to do and what not to do. For younger talent, purpose becomes a deciding factor; however, it must be genuine and authentic. When it feels forced, it becomes purpose washing and people see through it. The task is to create something bigger that they can contribute to while finding their own purpose.

“In the end, leadership is defined by impact. The shadow you cast lasts longer than any specific task. People will remember how you made them feel and that memory shapes your legacy inside an organization”

Balancing that with the needs of an experienced workforce is just as important. A third of our workforce is already 45 years old or older and they possess skills that we cannot afford to lose. The challenge is to engage them without making them feel excluded. That may mean returnships alongside internships, or more consistent pathways for upskilling so that nobody is left behind.

AI reminds me of how quickly the ground shifts beneath us. Only a few years ago, it was hardly on the radar; now, it is fundamentally reshaping the way we work. That is why I come back to the idea that less is more. Shaping people strategy is about choosing the few things we will do exceptionally well and then committing to them fully.

Seeing Leadership as a Daily Practice

For me, leadership development is a lifelong process and everyone is a leader. It is not only about managing teams, but also about the way we interact, influence and connect with others daily. For example, leading a project, providing feedback, or even ordering coffee in the morning all reflect our leadership practice and refining it is a continuous journey.

In our early careers, the experiences and skills we learn set the tone for our leadership practice that follows.  Early on, the focus is typically on building technical skills and learn the behaviours that shape their leadership later. Feedback is a good example. Many of us struggle with receiving feedback, asking for it, and giving the feedback others need. Learning to do both well is part art, part science and this skill lasts a lifetime.

Everyone also needs to consider their reputation and stakeholder management. How you critique, present ideas and grow a network influences how others see you and the opportunities that open up. Dont forget that progress depends on performance, but it also depends on relationships and the reputation you create. That is why I encourage people to gain breadth in their early career before building depth of expertise, taking every opportunity and seeing each one as a chance to lead and deliver through others.

Throughout your career, the challenges we face and can address as leaders evolve.  At twenty, you think differently than you do at forty.  Managing increasing ambiguity is part of the leadership journey and a “muscle” you strengthen through experience and the complexity that you naturally gravitate towards. In other words, as you advance in your career, your leadership will be defined by your strategic thinking capability and how you engage others to bring them along a journey with you.

Ultimately, leadership is defined by its impact. The shadow you cast lasts longer than any specific role or project task. People will remember how you made them feel and that memory shapes your legacy within an organisation and how others talk about you.

Bringing Analytics and Humanity Together

My background in psychology has instilled in me a strong belief in the importance of critical thinking. When you manage people, you hold their dreams and aspirations in your hands, creating an obligation to get it right. People's decisions cannot rest on opinion or a gut feeling. They must be based on evidence, observable facts and multiple perspectives.

Too often, people's decisions and core talent management activities, such as talent reviews, fall back on vague descriptions or personal likability. Comments such as “hardworking” or “nice to have around” may be true, but they do not show potential or readiness to take on broader and more complex roles. What matters is how quickly the person learn, the support they need and the leadership they demonstrate – it comes down to the risk you would take with this person and how quickly. 

This is why I push for rigour and science in the process. It is easy to gravitate toward people who feel familiar, but this can narrow diversity and overlook talent. I often ask managers to review their habits—specifically, who they email most, who they call and who they rely on daily. Those patterns reveal just how small our circles can become.

Analytics and frameworks help break those patterns, but should never strip away humanity. The goal is not to reduce people to data points but to use data to create fairer, fact-based discussions that open opportunities.

Advice for the Next Generation of HR Leaders

Some advice for those starting in talent and leadership development: know your stuff! Read widely; the value I bring is not in chasing trends, but in having a solid foundation of knowledge that allows me to question what does not hold up to scientific scrutiny. There will always be new ideas in HR, particularly in learning and development; some fade as quickly as they emerge. That is why I believe in reading widely, staying curious and always asking what evidence supports an idea and what outcomes it delivers.

Your ‘language’ also matters. The way you talk about people and their potential reflects your philosophy or belief in people. Your words shape how others perceive talent and how people view themselves, so take care and be respectful (the litmus test is: would you say it like that to the person’s face?).

My guiding principle is to keep it simple. Combine knowledge with humanity. Bring evidence and curiosity and stay rigorous, but never forget the lives, aspirations and hopes behind every decision. That is where our true responsibility lies.